Introduction

Cleaning, cooking, and caring are crucial contribuions that domestic workers make to societies and economies across the world. Domestic work is foundational to human life, yet it is typically not regarded as proper work. Consequently, domestic workers may be specifically excluded from labour rights and protecions, or subject to discriminatory provisions. Furthermore, domestic work is increasingly carried out by migrant workers, who are often governed by highly constraining immigration laws or not included in immigration regimes at all, meaning that they must reside illegally. In order to create a clearer picture of the underlying factors influencing the lived employment experiences of migrant domestic workers in Thailand and Malaysia, this study focuses on the links between the working conditions as described by migrant domestic workers, and attitudes to migrant and domestic workers as expressed in the media and by employers.

This is a mixed methods study that employs both quantitative and qualitative data collection tools. Migrant domestic workers and their employers were surveyed and interviewed, focus group discussions were hosted, and government officials were interviewed. Press coverage was also analysed through quantitative and qualitative methods.